View Single Post
  #124  
Old 04-04-2012, 06:13 PM
joew2005 joew2005 is offline
Samster
 
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 21,243
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
My Reputation: Points: 1222 / Power: 21
joew2005 has much to be proud ofjoew2005 has much to be proud ofjoew2005 has much to be proud ofjoew2005 has much to be proud ofjoew2005 has much to be proud ofjoew2005 has much to be proud ofjoew2005 has much to be proud ofjoew2005 has much to be proud ofjoew2005 has much to be proud of
Re: 2011/2012 Uefa - Champions League & Europa League

http://sg.sports.yahoo.com/news/di-m...8599--spt.html

Di Matteo wary of Benfica threat

Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo has warned his side against complacency when they face Benfica in a Champions League quarter-final 2nd leg @ Stamford Bridge here on Wednesday.

Chelsea r 1-0 up following their victory in Portugal last week & will be strongly fancied 2 reach their 6th semi-final in 9 years.

But Di Matteo has urged his team not 2 get ahead of themselves as they contemplate a possible semi-final with reigning champions Barcelona.

"It is a danger," said the Italian. "Tis is half-time & we're leading 1-0. But a 1-0 lead is basically nothing.

"Our players r aware of tis, & we'll hv 2 go in2 tis game with the right attitude.

"Nothing has been done yet. We're aware of tat. We need 2 go & qualify 4 the next round."

Di Matteo added: "Tis tie is far fr over. They (Benfica) hv scored in every away game of their Champions League season, so it's a difficult task 2morrow night."

Benfica boss Jorge Jesus insisted Chelsea were "lucky" 2 be ahead in the tie, saying: "Chelsea obviously hv the upper hand, but we r going 2 approach tis game in the same manner as we would hv if we had won the 1st game.

"Chelsea had quite a lot of luck in the 1st match, considering we dominated the match.

"We hv the quality 2 win tis game, obviously, & I'm sure tat -- tis time round -- we can turn the tables on Chelsea & do the same as they did in Lisbon."

Jesus added: "They (Chelsea) came out 2 play 4 a 0-0 draw & ended up getting a win."

Chelsea r in the midst of a tough schedule of matches, & should they reach the semi-finals will end up playing 11 times in just 40 days.

They had been hoping 2 persuade the Football Association 2 bring forward the kick-off time of their FA Cup semi-final against London rivals Tottenham @ Wembley on April 15 fr 6pm local time (1700GMT) in a bid 2 give them more time 2 prepare 4 a possible Champions League semi-final.

But the FA r unlikely 2 change the kick-off time & Di Matteo, brought in as interim boss aft Andre Villas-Boas was sacked, tried 2 put a positive slant on Chelsea's packed programme.

"I think there r alot of clubs tat would like 2 hv so many games, 2 be involved in all these competitions.

"It's very demanding 4 the players, but we're in a good place. All the players r available, so tat will help us."

He added: "It might become an issue @ some point. I don't know.

"Fortunately, we hv a fully fit squad, which will help us in the run-in, 2 be able 2 play every player we hv & give everybody a chance."

Didier Drogba (foot), David Luiz (ankle), & Raul Meireles (knee) all trained Tuesday & r expected 2 be available 4 Wednesday's match.